Head bolts reusable?

I can't seem to search very specifically in this forum. In the case I pull my yblock heads off for service...are the bolts reusable? Can't find a bolt set for sale anywhere like other engines I've worked on.

I have not rebuilt a Yblock but if I were to, I would reuse the head bolts. They were made of real stuff, not like the modern day disposible ones! I have reused the bolts from a 223 in-line and a 352 a few years back without incident.

I reused my head bolts when I rebuilt my Y-block with no problem. I am an engineer and yes the bolts are stretched a little when torqued and in a perfect world you should replace them. However, unless they have been torqued and un-torqued many times, over torqued or you are building a race engine with high compression, there is no real problem reusing them. The torque numbers are not that high and the compression is not that high. My opinion, you mileage may vary.

thanks guys. I'm used to the newer "torque to yield" bolts that always need replaced. I was shocked when changing a head gasket on my taurus a year ago how much they stretched compared to the new one's length!

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